- May 5, 2024
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Owner sees Ormond-by-the-Sea as up and coming.
Wayne Grant
News Editor
From the Jersey Shore by way of Sanibel Island, the McCarthy family has found a home and business in Ormond-by-the-Sea, opening Shark Bait Surf Shop at 1458 Ocean Shore Blvd.
They like the outdoor, laid-back lifestyle atmosphere of the town, and their home and business are walking distance from the waves.
“I grew up on the beach and I wanted my son to grow up on a beach too,” said Suzanne McCarthy.
Husband and co-owner Kevin built the displays and remodeled the interior of the building to create the low-key atmosphere of surf shops he knew years ago as a kid.
“Surf shops today are high-end, multi-million dollar businesses,” he said, “We wanted a relaxed atmosphere … that old Jersey surf shop feel.”
They sell a variety of surf boards, skate boards, Ormond Beach T-shirts, sterling silver and pewter jewelry, which they design and cast themselves.
The Jersey Shore is a popular area for surfing and the McCarthys learned the business by working at Ron Jon Surf Shop before opening their own store on Long Beach Island.
They moved to Sanibel about 20 years ago, after deciding that Florida would be a better location because New Jersey surf is seasonal. They ran a shop until Hurricane Charley made a direct hit.
“It was two weeks before we got back on the island,” Suzanne McCarthy said.
They knew it would be a long time before the business returned, so they concentrated on their pewter jewelry, which has been their livelihood until opening the shop in Ormond-by-the-Sea.
Now that the economy is picking up, they’ve decided it’s a good time to get back into retail. Also, Kevin points out, Ormond-by-the-Sea seems to be up and coming. Beach parking has brought more people, and little restaurants have popped up. That has led to more retail, he believes.
Their son, Connor, 13, is an integral part of the business, lending his expertise, especially on the skateboarding side.
“He talks from experience,” said his mother. Connor also makes designs for the boards and the clothing.
“We’ve always worked retail and we want Connor to experience it,” she said.
All of their boards are made by a North Carolina shaper, Kenny Briel. The McCarthys said he will work directly with a customer for a custom board by email or phone.
They sell merchandise that is made in the U.S. as much as possible, including the shirts, which are made in Colorado. They also plan to have shirts screen printed locally.
They also like to be environmentally friendly. The board wax is biodegradable and the inks in the shirt designs are water based.
“The ocean is not going to take care of itself,” Kevin McCarthy said.
In addition to being within a skateboard ride to the ocean, they also like their location between two restaurants, because people stop before or after eating. Heffer’s Twooo Cafe serves breakfast and lunch, and Lenny’s Pizza serves lunch and dinner, so they have long hours on Friday and Saturday so they can take advantage of both crowds.
The name, Shark Bait, is not because of dangerous fish in the ocean. It’s from the film, “Finding Nemo.” Shark Bait was Nemo’s nickname.
Call 265-0663 or email [email protected].
